The present invention relates in general to electrolytic melting plants and, more particularly, to apparatus used to remove anode residue from the anodes of such plants.
The anodes, usually carbon anodes, of electrolytic melting plants are consumed during operation and it is known to provide anodes with a plurality of metallic projections or nipples. Anode residue tends to build up on the anodes and it is necessary from time to time to remove this residue. For this purpose, it is known to utilize strippers which engage around the projections and which are moved therealong to strip off the residue. The residue thus removed is then usually transported by a conveyor to a breaker which breaks up the blocks into granular form suitable for re-processing. Because of the high forces exerted by the strippers on the metallic projections to strip off the residue, the metallic projections are sometimes damaged and fragments and portions of the metallic projections can be fed to the breaker with the anode residue. The metallic portions are then apt to damage the breaker.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved apparatus which will mitigate this problem.